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Top Spiritualist Healer condemns rising tide in Witchcraft and Voodoo

A spiritual healer trained within the Church of England has condemned the rising tide of interest in witchcraft, voodoo and ghost hunting in the UK.

Alarmed by an increasing number of people seeking her help because of mental turmoil caused by inexperienced dabbling in the 'black arts', lecturer Mhairi Kent has issued a timely warning to men, women and children attracted by television programmes, books and shops promoting the use of spells, potions, seances and ghost hunting.

Calling for a ban on ouija boards, voodoo dolls and seances, Mhairi Kent who was trained by the late Dom. Robert Petit Pierre - a well-known Anglo Catholic exorcist, and acknowledged psychic expert as well as priest Father Gilbert Shaw - claims that many people, including children are coming to her in spiritual and mental turmoil because of the rise of interest in paganism, spiritualism and witchcraft.

"People using items such as ouija boards or spells books contact spirits without proper spiritual and mental protection. They are terribly, terribly dangerous because they can effect an individual for life. I cannot emphasise enough how wary people should be," she said.

"Teenagers especially are attracted to them and think they are a big laugh, especially at parties. I have heard of cases of children committing suicide because of ouija and I am very concerned they are easily available in shops and the internet. I am horrified there is even a website that does online ouija. You can get voodoo dolls in many high street shops, it's frightening."

"I can't understand why it has ever been permitted for voodoo dolls to be on sale and use, for goodness sake! It is one of the sad things I suppose about the repealing of the witchcraft act in 1954. That is one of the real downsides to it being repealed.

We may have more freedom but it has brought about a rising tide in interest in the occult. We notice in recent years that people disillusioned with traditional religion are turning to paganism for comfort. I am gravely concerned."

In a year when the Vatican school of theology in Rome devised the first official qualification in Satanism for Roman Catholic priests, Mhairi has herself been giving instruction to people on how to protect themselves from underworld unpleasantness and says she has come to the aid of people including a black family caught up in a web of voodoo perpetrated by disgruntled relatives in the West Indies.

There has also been aid for an Asian family who believed they were being ill wished. It is not uncommon says Mhairi who has also helped people caught up in witchcraft, untutored spiritualism and poorly taught Reiki healing.

One of the creepiest things I have dealt with was an Asian family who showed me a load of oranges which they said had all the innards removed by the spirits. The family of 20 was clearly terrified. I couldn't see any marks of tampering, but the fruit was as hollow as tennis balls when opened. There was no logical explanation for the phenomenon", she added.

Even with her expertise she has experienced tricky spirits and 'entities' and has needed all the training given to her by Dom. Robert who has a monk recognized as an expert in the 1970s. He was often called on to exorcise demons and wrote many articles and made many television appearances on the subject.

Television programs such as Most Haunted and books about witchcraft and spells have a lot to answer for, said Mhairi who lectures about psychic healing and protection at health shows and seminars around the country and gives guidance at her London clinic, The Hartlands Centre.

Prior to 1954 it was against the law to practice any kind of magic or witchcraft in the UK. England's most notorious Witchcraft Act was passed early in the reign of Elizabeth 1 in 1563 provided that anyone who should "use, practice or exercise any Witchcraft, Enchantment, Charm or Sorcery where by any person shall happen to be killed or destroyed", was guilty of felony without benefit of clergy, and was to be put to death. The law was broadened further by Elizabeth's successor James 1.

In 1604, the first year of his reign, the Elizabethan act was broadened to bring the penalty of death without benefit of clergy to anyone who involved evil spirits or communed with 'familiar spirits'. The act was enforced by Matthew Hopkins, the notorious Witchfinder General, who has been featured onstage and screen in the last few decades.